The Cabinet Makers Association (CMA), in conjunction with Woodworking Network, requests that small- and medium-sized shop owners complete their 2020 Benchmark Survey. The answers will provide a clearer picture of the woodworking industry in the U.S. and Canada, while also helping other shops have a better idea of where they stand in relation to the rest of the industry
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This annual survey is designed to establish benchmarks for the industry. In doing so, the survey explores business outlook, staffing and compensation, shop rates, CNC automation, construction methods, and marketing. On the demographic side, the survey paints a portrait of where shops are located, number of employees, and what kind of work they do.

Participants are eligible to be entered in a drawing for a free power tool, and they will also receive a copy of the full survey data. Individual survey responses are kept strictly confidential regarding the participant’s name and company.

An overview of the results will be published in the December 2020 issue of FDMC Magazine. You can read the 2019 summary at https://bit.ly/2019-Benchmark
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The 2020 survey is open until 12:00 AM on November 1, 2020. To complete the survey, please visit https://bit.ly/2020-Benchmark

The global spread of the Coronavirus poses unknown challenges for all of us. We hope that you, your family, friends, and co-workers are safe and well.  As we navigate this crisis together, we would like you to know that the CMA is committed to providing service to our members, especially in this time of need, and to continue to address the needs of small businesses in the woodworking industry.

We will support you and your business needs while at the same time doing all we can to not spread the sickness. This is a strange time with a lot of uncertainty, but there are things we can all do to help. By now most of us have heard these things a thousand times, but they are still important:

1. Actively encourage sick employees to stay home
2. Separate sick employees
3. Emphasize staying home when sick, respiratory etiquette, and hand hygiene by all employees
4. Perform routine environmental cleaning
5. Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps

Read more advice from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
In addition, there have been concerns about how to address the situation if your business has to shut down due to the virus. Fortunately, Congress has already passed several bills offering relief to small businesses, and we encourage you to check them out: https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources

Because of the current concerns, we have cancelled our April 22 regional event in Charlotte, NC. We will keep you posted when a new date is determined.
Woodworking Network has compiled a helpful summary of other industry disruptions and cancellations: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/woodworking-industry-disruptions-and-cancellations-coronavirus-update
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We encourage you to stay connected and keep building your business as much as possible. In the next few weeks, we plan to host a webinar to introduce our new website program for members. Stay tuned for the date and time. Also, be sure to stay in touch on the forums: ask questions and also provide answers and assistance when possible. Now is the time, more than ever, to rely on CMA members and our collective resources. Together we will work on solutions during this challenging situation.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published “Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19” to help companies respond in the event of coronavirus in the workplace. The guidance was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).

The document provides practical guidance for preventing the spread of COVID-19, also known as novel coronavirus, and contains information on safe work practices and appropriate personal protective equipment based on the risk level of exposure.

“Protecting the health and safety of America’s workforce is a key component of this Administration’s comprehensive approach to combating the coronavirus,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “This guidance outlines practical ways that employers and workers can address potential health risks from the coronavirus in their workplaces.”

This guidance is part of the Department of Labor’s ongoing efforts to educate the workers and employers about the COVID-19 outbreak.

• In addition to the guidance, OSHA recently launched a COVID-19 webpage that provides infection prevention information specifically for workers and employers, and is actively reviewing and responding to any complaints regarding workplace protection from novel coronavirus, as well as conducting outreach activities.
• The Wage and Hour Division is providing information on common issues employers and employees face when responding to COVID-19, including effects on wages and hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs has also published guidance for federal employees and outlines Federal Employees’ Compensation Act coverage as it relates to the novel coronavirus.

For further information about Coronavirus, please visit the HHS’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

As part of Hexagon’s philosophy of supporting data-driven smart factories, the latest release of ALPHACAM CAD/CAM software speeds up how jobs that require several processes are managed.

A new job type has been introduced in ALPHACAM 2020.1. The new “Multiple Process Jobs” functionality makes it simpler to create jobs and orders in the ALPHACAM Automation Manager for jobs that need to be output to more than one machine, or that require secondary processing at the same machine.

“In the past, users had to create multiple jobs to process complex operations in Automation Manager,” said Product Manager Chip Martin. “Now, a single job can be created, containing all the different machines and manufacturing processes that the part goes through.”

He highlights an example of machining the top and back of a part. In the latest version of the software, those two processes can easily be worked as a single job. “NC code will simply be created for both of them automatically, which is also the case for additional machines and other processes.”

This improvement streamlines how complex manufacturing processes are handled in the ALPHACAM Automation Manager. “Once the process is defined, and the ‘Multiple Process Job’ is created, the operator can easily repeat the same complex job many times for different parts. Also, the user interface will help show exactly which processes and machines the part will go through.”

Several enhancements have been made to Automation Manager’s output file options. Firstly, the new ‘File Name Configuration’ dialog creates names from job information, job files, or any custom text. 

Secondly, a number of improvements to Report Creation include the ability to generate up to four different layouts, which can also be printed. All the materials being used can be included in one report, and a report can be produced for each material and each nested sheet.

“This fine-tune control means users can tailor Automation Manager output entirely to their specific requirements.” 

The Rough/Finish of solid faces with Tool Side function now supports cylindrical faces to be machined. Planar and cylindrical faces can be combined in a single selection. For solid faces that are perpendicular or undercuts, an active work plane can be used to define the preferred approach angle (scanning direction).

“In the previous release, we introduced the ability to machine solid faces directly for rough/finish and sawing,” Martin said. “This has now been enhanced to allow simple planar faces to be machined without creating new geometry.”

Cylindrical faces as well as planar faces can now be selected, and ALPHACAM automatically finds the best angle for machining them. This calculation is carried out while keeping a fixed angle for the tool in a work plane, guaranteeing that most controllers will be able to support compensation (G41/G42), and Lead-In/Out generated by ALPHACAM.

“Before this improvement, users had to carry out several steps to machine a selection of faces using the tool side. Now, instead of creating workplanes and extracting geometries, they simply select the faces for machining and ALPHACAM calculates the required tool angle and workplane to machine a selection of faces. This is a real time saver.”

Stone companies will find specific improvements for waterjet cutting, and for sawing surfaces and solids. ALPHACAM 2020.1 includes a waterjet tool as well as new machining cycles. Users can now create waterjet tools and specify parameters specific to waterjet cutting. Abrasive Flow Rates can be defined in the new tool type, as well as how far the nozzle should be from the top of the material.

In addition to the existing machining cycles, the latest release introduces three waterjet operations which can follow a profile, clear areas, or cut and pierce holes, in both 3- and 5-axis machining. A simulation can be run to check for possible collisions between the nozzle and material.

“The software has been successfully driving waterjet and saw + waterjet machine tools for many years,” Martin said, “but this new waterjet tool and cycles provide a consistent and highly professional way of calculating toolpaths.”

The new release now defines boundaries when cutting surfaces and solids with a disc/saw. Users define multiple boundaries, and ALPHACAM will avoid machining those areas. “This gives much better control, making it possible to avoid areas which should be machined in another step, and even avoid other machine components.” 
About Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Division
Hexagon is a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, safety, and mobility applications.
Our technologies are shaping urban and production ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division provides solutions that utilize data from design and engineering, production and metrology to make manufacturing smarter. For more information, visit hexagonmi.com.
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Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 20,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 3.8bn EUR. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow us @HexagonAB.

Building on nearly a century of precision-engineered power tool solutions globally, Festool USA is celebrating its 20th year of business in the U.S.— the brand’s emerald anniversary — with a special limited release of its Emerald Edition tools. The Emerald Edition collection consists of six precision-engineered tool options, each of which is housed in limited-edition Blue Systainer packaging. And there’s more: each Emerald Edition tool includes an assortment of complementary accessories worth up to $136 in value.
 
“Our goal with the Emerald Edition celebration is to honor our loyal customers with an incredible value and a real ‘thank you,’ as well,” stated Rick Bush, Vice President of Marketing for Festool. “The handsome Emerald Blue Systainers not only help keep craftsmen organized and boost productivity, but also will remind them of our appreciation for the 20-year journey that we have shared together. At the same time, the accompanying accessories are bonuses that every Festool user will surely appreciate.”
 
Emerald Celebration Extends to Sweepstakes for Craftsmen
 
As a part of the anniversary celebration, passionate craftsmen now have a chance to learn from some of the most knowledgeable Festool trainers with the Emerald Edition Sweepstakes. When participants purchase and register their Emerald Edition tools, they are entered for the Grand Prize of receiving a trip to Festool USA Headquarters in Lebanon, Indiana, just outside of Indianapolis. The sweepstakes winners will spend a full day with a Festool expert-trainer and deepen their appreciation for their craft, as well as Festool’s product lineup. For full details about the sweepstakes and official rules, visit festoolusa.com/sweepstakes.
 
“The Emerald Edition tools, as well as the sweepstakes event, have been well received in the marketplace since their recent unveiling,” Bush said. “These limited-edition tools and the sweepstakes present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for skilled specialists. We are delighted to celebrate the Festool brand with tradesmen who demand unmatched precision and performance, a standard that Festool has delivered on in North America for the last 20 years.”
 
About Festool
Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool is known for its innovative, precision-engineered power tool solutions.  Based in Lebanon, IN, Festool USA offers a comprehensive lineup of power tools and system accessories, designed to boost productivity through efficiency and high performance. For more information, visit www.festoolusa.com.